American Horror Story : NYC Review – Among the Series Best

AHS Goes to NYC

Following American Horror Story : Double Feature, the direction of the horror anthology series was left uncertain.  While the first half of the season was strong, the second half left a lot to be desired.  In addition, many were uncertain if future seasons would continue with multiple distinct story lines, or one focused narrative.  Recently, fans got their answer with Season 11, AHS : NYC.  Set unsurprisingly in New York City, the story follows the Gay community in the 1980s as a series of murders and a mysterious new disease ravage the community.  Compared to previous seasons, NYC is more grounded in its horror aspects, however, there are slight supernatural elements.  These supernatural elements aren’t entirely explained, but are rather used in a metaphorical sense.  This provides this season with an excellent through line, and one of the most effective finales any of these seasons have had.

Death Follows

Courtesy of FX

Throughout the entire season, death plays a prominent theme, more so than most other seasons of AHS.  Being set in the 80s, this is a time when the LGBTQ+ community faced far more discrimination.  As such, many of the murders and mysterious deaths of gay men are overlooked by the police.  While some of these are a result of murders, inspired by the Last Call Killer, other deaths are harder to pin point.  A mysterious, large man clad in leather straps follows the majority of the cast.

While his identity is a mystery, it is clear that this being is the personification of death.  Even tarot cards play a part in this season, as all readings of them revolve around death.  This results in the season concluding in such a way that shows how numb people can be to death, especially after fighting it for so long, and will even welcome it.  It’s haunting, somber, and a grim reminder of how even now, society still has a way to go.

AHS Maintains Great Performances and Casts

Courtesy of FX

One thing that AHS has always done well creates interesting characters with a stellar cast.  NYC is no different, and among the highlights of it are the new stars.  Joe Mantello plays Gino, an investigative journalist who is partners with Russell Tovey’s Patrick, a closeted detective trying to track down the one responsible for the murders in NYC.  They are joined by Charlie Carver’s Adam, who seeks to find his friend after his disappearance.  All three of these new faces to AHS bring so much gravitas to their roles, and their performances easily stand as some of the best in all of AHS.  Of course, return actors like Billie Lourd, Zachary Quinto, Denis O’Hare, and more were given excellent performances.  It results in each of these characters being among the series most memorable, despite this season’s more grounded nature.

Conclusion – AHS Shows it Still Has So Much More

While Double Feature left many fans disappointed, NYC captures what made so many people love AHS, while also making its own identity and flair to make it among the show’s strongest seasons.  What the following season shall bring is uncertain, but hopefully it’ll take many cues from NYC.

Check out American Horror Story : NYC on Hulu.